🔹 What is BIOS?

BIOS stands for Basic Input Output System.
It is a firmware that is built into the computer’s motherboard.

🔹 Main Functions of BIOS:

1. Starts the Computer (Boot Process)

   • When you turn on your computer, the BIOS is the first software to run.

   • It performs the POST (Power-On Self-Test) to check hardware components (RAM, CPU, keyboard, etc.).

2. Loads the Operating System

   • After checking the hardware, the BIOS locates and loads the operating system from the hard drive or SSD.

3. Controls Basic Hardware

   • BIOS manages communication between the operating system and hardware like:

     • Keyboard

     • Hard drive

     • Display

4. BIOS Setup Utility

   • You can enter the BIOS menu (usually by pressing F2, Del, or Esc at startup).

   • Inside, you can configure system settings such as:

     • Boot order

     • Date and time

     • CPU or memory settings

     • Enable/disable hardware

🔹 BIOS vs UEFI

Modern computers often use UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) instead of traditional BIOS.
UEFI offers:

• A graphical interface

• Faster boot times

• Support for larger hard drives and more features

🧾 Summary